A Triumph for Democracy in Libya

Libyans embraced American ideals and rejected political Islam at the ballot box.

By

Ann Marlowe

Updated July 10, 2012 8:16 p.m. ET

I was surprised and touched to receive holiday greetings from Libyan friends around the Fourth of July. Mohamed Hilal El Senussi, a grandnephew of Libya's first and last king, emailed: "I would like to extend to you and your family my very best wishes. May God bless America." His sentiment was clear: Libyans love free Libya as much as we love America.

Most Libyans admire America and our heritage of liberty. It helps that the U.S. government—unlike Britain's or Italy's or France's—never cozied up to Gadhafi. And...